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Wish List

I'd like to say THANK YOU for all of the love and attention I've received since I've been abroad. Your emails, letters, and packages have been so very appreciated and helped bring a little bit of home my way. Since my service is coming to an end, I fear that anything sent from here on on may not make it in time for me to enjoy. Instead, consider taking me out for a cold beer upon my return! I can promise you an evening filled with entertaining stories.

[leaving this up for prosperity]...............................................................................................................................................Sending packages to Senegal is fairly easy although it can take a while and can get rather pricey if you don't follow the guidelines below. Basically, I have everything I NEED here in Senegal: food, shelter, clothing, it's all covered. Listed below are things that would feel like a treat, would make me miss home less, or would help me with some of my projects (PLEASE NOTE: I've removed chocolate, jerky, and tea from this list as I think I have enough stock-piled to get me through my service):

Stuff for me:

Good old fashioned letters (and these just require an international stamp)

PLEASE put a false amount on the claims slip that will be on the box – something LESS than $10. Tariffs have to be paid on all packages when they're picked-up and the tariff is partly based on claimed value (the other part is purely random.) I'll pay a minimum 2 bucks on this end for anything sent, but this cost increases significantly if the contents are deemed pricey or the box is overloaded.

Don’t send anything that looks nice or expensive – meaning, take things out of their plastic wrapping and put them in zip-loc baggies, remove special packaging and wrap things in newspaper etc. Why? All packages get opened at customs and sometimes we get charged extra to pick up our boxes if they think the things inside are worth a decent amount.

Things to write on the box or packing slip:

“Dieu voit tout” (“God sees everything”)

A fake tracking number (see photo)

A low amount to “claim” on the packing slip, like $3 or $6, regardless of what’s actually inside the box.

“Educational Materials,” or “matériaux éducatifs

Packages weighing less than 4 lbs will cost you significantly less to send. Padded envelopes are the cheapest way to go.

Send me an email to let me know that something is on the way and I'll let you know when it gets to me.

Consider packaging things in

local newspapers (it's fun to read through them, especially if they include comic strips, crossword puzzles, Sudoko, articles I might be interested in, recipes, juicy news from home etc.)

zip-lock bags (I reuse these for all sorts of things)

colorful plastic grocery bags (I'm knitting a market bag using "yarn" made out of strips from these bags)

And lastly, be patient. I've received some boxes in just over a week, others have taken 4-6 weeks, and others I'm still waiting on. Senegal is very much a third world country, the post office is not the least bit efficient, and transportation is always an issue. I'll let you know when things arrive.

Shout Outs!

To Babara for a lovely letter. It always brightens my day to know that you are thinking of me.

To Susie for a big honking box of snacks and magazines. These will definitely get me through until the end.

To The O'Neals for sending crafty things for my Girls Club and snacks and notes for me.

To Jeremy for another box of goodies from the barn :-)

To Doug for another book recommendation (and the book to go with it!)

To Maki for trying to send me bourbon (but the mean ole PO wouldn't let her). The other treat (Cheez-Its, Bacon, Odwalla bars, salad dressing mix, and incense) were much appreciated. We'll just have to have that bourbon when I return this summer!

To Susan (again!) for another amazing care package filled with yummy foodstuff, magazines, and treats for my students.

To Susan for faithfully saving me the crossword and sudoku puzzles from Eugene's The Register-Guard almost everyday for the past year (+) and for delicious pork, turkey, and beef jerky, melt-in-your-mouth coconut macaroons, and colored paper for my kids (quite the luxury).

To Doug for the book that finally arrived (I read 50 pages of it before getting home from the post office) AND for the stone-ground South Carolina grits. I'm assuming the customs folks made off with the shrimp ;-)

To John H. for a rockin' box of foodstuff (so yummy!), coffee, local papers, the New Yorker, a book, and news from home.

To Linda for tracking down and sending 3 books on my "want to read" list.

To Fulton for a postcard from Florida and a nice little invitation to France.

A belated shout out to Janelle who sent a package to me at my parent's house while I was home visiting in the fall. I left the beautiful bracelet there for my return and shared the treats with my Girls Club.

To Heather Rae for popping a box in the mail (just before she popped out a baby--CONGRATULATIONS!) which included Hellmann's mayonnaise, Cholula hot sauce, Italian seasoning mixes, Luna bars, and some requested yarn for a sweater I'm knitting. Can't wait to meet little Warren when I return.

To Sandra, Hannah, and Katharina for a package from Germany filled with Buegelperlen beads for my Girls Club and Pfeffernusse cookies and dried sausage for me--yum!

To Jeremy for your continued friendship and correspondence and for sending "nipples" for my hoop project ;-), as well as much appreciated incense, soup mix, granola, and a new book.

To Linda for office supplies, snacks, Sarah Addison Allen's second novel, and for being so supportive.

To Ann, Maggie, and Lisa (my knitting pals) for "The Damn Scarf" yarn and pattern (and for working out all of the frustrating kinks before sending it to me) and to Linda for more cords and accessories for my Denise Kit needles.

To Auntie Jane for a bunch of pens and pencils, CHOCOLATE, and soaps.

To Scott for an amazing "mixed tape" CD complete with liner notes and a accompanying sweet letter.

To Becca and Nate for awesome new music and a rendering of my favorite bird.

To WNRN, for sending my Spring Fundraiser promo CD (Lucinda Williams) all the way to Africa.

To Aunt Patricia for sending some old family photos, including one of me from 1973 in my favorite childhood dress.

To Fulton for the C&O postcard and for splurging on the stamp ;-)

To Susan for an amazing box of goodness. Who new they made single size servings of SPAM??

To Ben for a giant box of cheezy and crunchy snacks!!

To Krista & Anu for a homemade Easter card and a lovely watercolor painting.

To Kathy for a bunch of great magazines, 2 books, yummy chocolate granola treats, and a big bag of roasted soy nut trail mix.

To Sandra for a 3-part German care package full of dry sausages (yum!), Haribo candies, a tube full of delicious mustard, and a photo of her family in the SNOW.

To Mom & Dad for things they noticed I needed while they were here, like little spoons, hot pads, and cups from the airplane to complete my set ;-); also Fritos, Fruit Chips, and an Easter Egg kit.

To Peabody School French Class, Grade 8 for a box of goodies (nail polish, Chex Party Mix, Reeses Pieces, jerky, coffee, soap, headbands, a magazine, and a cool French pencil!)

To My Batesville Buddies who sent a Christmas/Birthday card with an original sound recording.

To Heather P. whose package took a month to get to me, but finally arrived, which gives me great hope for the others that are still out there somewhere: Lemon-ginger tea, hydration drink singles, CHEDDAR potato soup mix, taco & chili seasoning, and a KNITTING project, not to mention the cute family photos.!! Thanks HP!

To Dan & Eloise for a lovely Christmas card and note.

To The Riedsels for a fun picture-filled Christmas card.

To Mary & John for a lovely Christmas card and ornament.

To Mom & Dad for two more packages (you guys ROCK!), one of which included my knitting bag from home.

To Kaitee & Josh for a holiday catch-up letter.

To Kristi, who sent a beautiful handmade necklace and earring set and a chicken feed tote bag. She's so talented!

To Charlie & Leslie some much appreciated body scrub soap and some other treats.

To Carlos, who flattened himself out and came to visit as Flat Carlos. I'll be showing him around town then sending him back to his classmates.

To Bobbi & family, who sent me a slew of spice mixes, dark chocolate M&Ms, Raisinettes, and Kisses, Jello instant pudding mix, beef jerky, Slim Jims, and granola bars, plus a nice birthday card and some letters from the kids.

To Mom & Dad, who sent a Bug Hut for my bed, Slim Jims, Off towelettes, ant repellent, Thanksgiving napkins (I'll save those for next year), and some more of my clothes.

To Kristen, who sent an International calling card that she originally sent to her daughter in Africa last year and it was just returned. She popped it right back in the mail to me.

To Mary, who sent and early B-day card with handmade earrings. So nice to hear from you ;-)

To Rise Up Coffee, who sent me a sample pack of organic coffee and some cool stickers (the owner is a Returned PCV likes to spread the love to those of us still out there)

To Mom & Dad, who sent me TWO packages including an assortment of tea, cookies, underwear, bug repellent, chocolate, a Bville photo montage, fall foliage, and MORE! To Jason/"Red", who sent me new music from his band (Unity the Band) and his friend Sam Winch's new album.

To Krista, who sent yummy dark chocolate, Luna/Cliff bars, the last book she read (yea!), and more Propel (can never get too much of this.)

To Linda & Jack, who I haven't seen in 15 years, but who, nonetheless, sent me a package of Propel water packets, lip gloss!, a good book, and a great catch-up letter.

To Marla, who sent me my first letter! Yeah!

To Mom & Dad, who sent coffee, drink mixes, shampoo, and skin-so-soft to protect me from those evil little mosquitoes.

To Leslie, who spent hours silently emptying and cleaning out my fridge and freezers even after I left the country AND who, with Charlie, is tending to my mail while I’m away. You guys ROCK.